Rory McIlroy makes his feelings clear on unusual playoff scenario at The Players 2025: "Never experienced it before"

Rory McIlroy is one of the golfers who never hides his feelings and whenever there is a chance to express them, he does so. The last round at The Players Championship yesterday was tense, especially in the closing moments when both J.J. Spaun and Rory McIlroy were not giving each other an inch while keeping themselves at the top position. In the end, both Spaun and McIlroy remained tied at 1st position, and hence on Monday, both will play a three-hole tie-breaker.

After the day’s play at the press conference, McIlroy expressed what was going through his mind regarding the upcoming shootout on Monday. Answering a question on this, Rory McIlroy said (via ASAP Sports):

"I've never experienced it before. I don't quite know. But yeah, it's going to be cool to be a part of. I guess it's very much just a three-hole match play scenario. That's all it is. Just try to prepare as best I can tomorrow morning. Get a good night's sleep. It's been a very long day for all of us. Yeah, and just try to be as prepared as possible for tomorrow."

When asked whether he was a little disappointed that he couldn’t win on Sunday itself or was happy with the comeback he made to make it into a playoff, McIlroy’s response was:

"It's a little bit of both. I'm happy to be in the position that I am, but also I feel like I had chances there on the back nine to close the door, and I didn't quite do that. A little bit of both. But I'm excited for the opportunity tomorrow."

Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun will have a three-hole shootout on Monday at The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass. Both finished at 12 under after 72 holes.

---

Rory McIlroy missed the chance to win after making a comeback at The Players Championship

The Northern Irish golfer started the final round at the Players Championship four strokes behind then-solo leader J.J. Spaun. But soon he turned the table in his favor with a birdie and then an eagle. When rain intervened, McIlroy was already leading the pack. When players returned to the course, McIlroy immediately birdied at the 12th and took a three-stroke lead.

Then there was a seesaw battle as McIlroy bogeyed the 13th and then missed two chances for birdie. Meanwhile, Spaun was kind of 'on the charge' as he birdied two holes and tied with McIlroy at the top position.

McIlroy has 27 career wins but this year he has won only one PGA Tour event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Whereas the world no. 57 J.J. Spaun has only one career win till now. Spaun’s solo PGA Tour win came in the 2022 Valero Texas Open.

The Players Championship 2025 playoffs will be held at the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes at TPC Sawgrass.